CHAPTER 22 - Rosie

I wake up suddenly to the sound of my boy shouting. My eyes fly open and then… confusion. It takes me whole moments to figure out where I am.

And then I smile.

Downstairs a screen door slaps and feet go thudding down porch stairs. I sit up, looking around at Amon's room, then look down at the t-shirt I put on last night for bed.

It smells like him and Amon Parrish smells like love, and loyalty, and protection, so this is quite a nice smell in my eyes.

I thought we might have a little fun time last night. I wasn't convinced it was appropriate, but I was thinkin' about it. Except I must've fell asleep because the last thing I remember is resting my head on Amon's shoulder.

It's amazing how much this man settles me.

I turn to the sound of boots on stairs and then there he is, holding a tray of food. I push some wild hair out of my eyes and grin at him like a fool as he comes over to the bed.

"Hungry?"

I sit up and scoot back as he places the tray over my lap. Then I look up at him with adoration. "Breakfast in bed, Amon? You're spoilin' me. You do this often enough and I'll come to expect it, so you better watch out."

He smiles through his response. "I like 'em spoiled, Rosie. So it's just fine by me if you get used to it."

I think I must blush seventeen shades of red at this bit of courting.

"Oh. Before I forget, Cross said something about not having a job at the Revival anymore. What's that about?"

I feel sad for a moment and pout my lips. "He grew up."

"What?" Amon sits down on the bed next to me.

"Yeah. He grew up and got kicked out of the children's choir last weekend because his voice is breaking. He was working with my brothers last weekend, so he'll probably do that today." Just as these last few words come out of my mouth, Amon starts making a weird face. "What?"

"Well"—he puts up a hand—"don't get mad at me, but when he told me he didn't have a job I said he could hang out here today. With the guys. It's just fun stuff because it's the weekend. No guns." He pauses, then adds, "I don't think, anyway."

"Amon Parrish," I admonish him. "You know better than anyone that boys can't play hooky from the Revival. It's duty. He should go work the tent with all the Harlow men."

"It's one day, Rosie. Ryan's gonna be here. There ain't nothing worse than a bored boy and that's what he'll be if you make him go in today. Besides, it's probably the only free Saturday he'll get all season. Tell Jim Bob and your brothers that he's sick. Let him have a day with the men. It'll be good for him."

I know Amon's right. Especially since Cross has been pitching a fit all week about being grown up. This will be a compromise. Something he will appreciate. "OK. He can stay." Amon smiles. I hold up a finger. "But he can't stay tomorrow. It's Fourth of July. It's a big show and even if he doesn't have a part, he won't want to miss it."

"Deal. Today he stays, tomorrow he goes. Now"—Amon stands and grins at me—"I've got to get changed."

"Why?" I waggle my eyebrows at him. "What you're wearing looks pretty good to me."

"I mean, into my costume."

I suck in a big breath of air. "Oh, I forgot. You're working the Revival this weekend. And you're wearing a costume? Is this another date?"

He bends down and kisses me as an answer, his hand coming up to my cheek, his mouth opening to slip me some tongue. And we linger in this kiss for a good fifteen seconds. When he pulls back I'm ready to melt, that's how wound up I am.

Amon points at me. "Save that thought for tonight. I might have another reason why Cross is staying here today."

My eyebrows shoot up. "Is that so?"

"Indeed. Eat, get dressed, and I'll meet you downstairs. I gotta go check on some things."

Then he turns and hits the stairs. I stay there in bed, mind racing but unable to move until the screen door slaps for a second time.

Then I pinch myself. Because this feels like a fairy tale ending and for once, I feel like I'm playing the starring role.

One nice thing about dating the security guy for Revival is he gets to park his truck right up next to the tent. I don't mind walking up the hill and I've been doing it all my life, but when you're wearing a fancy garden-party dress with fancy-fancy shoes it's nice to get a ride all the way up to the entrance.

It's also a bit weird to be entering the grounds without my son. "Maybe I should text him?" I'm reaching for my phone when Amon puts a hand on my shoulder.

"He's fine, Rosie. I'm telling you, these men are trustworthy. In fact, he's so fine I made plans for us tonight."

I look over at him, confused. "Are we going bowling again?"

Amon scoffs. "It was fun, but no. I'll tell ya later. Come on, we've got jobs to do."

So we get out and he takes my hand, holding it like we're teenagers in love, and we walk through the security entrance like this.

But as soon as we do this, all the people around us start whispering, covering up their mouths with their hands as they eye us.

"What's going on here?" I ask, waving my finger at the crowd.

Amon shakes his head. "No clue. But they are acting weird, aren't they?"

I spot April Lavar and call out. "April. Come over here."

She giggles with Taylor Hill, and they both fall into a fit of laughter.

"April!" I bark.

She turns to me, still giggling, and comes over.

"What is going on here, April? Why is everyone staring at us?"

"Oh, my God. Did you…" She looks at me. She looks at Amon. She looks back at me. "Oh. My God. It was an accident, wasn't it? The two of you have some secret role-playing thing going, don't ya?"

I'm so confused. Because on the one hand, we kinda do, and on the other… I gasp. April laughs harder, holding up this week's Busybody insert. "Oh, no!" In all the excitement on Wednesday when Amon came into my printshop, I had the wrong Busybody printed up!

The one that's been inserted into the Revival News is the dirty one I wrote for Amon's eyes only. I look at him with a grimace on my face. "I'm might die of embarrassment right here on this spot."

"What's going on? I don't get it?" When he remembers our flirty written correspondence, Amon's eyes start smiling. "Is that your reply to Rugged and Handsome? Give it here, April. Let me read it."

I prepare myself as Amon's eyes glide down the paper and then a guffaw comes flying out of his mouth. Those wild eyes of his are dancing when they meet mine.

April sighs. Holding her hand over her heart. "‘Kisses like a prince and fucks like a villain!'" Then she bends over laughing. "Jim Bob is gonna pitch a fit!"

And this is true. He's going to kill me.

As soon as I think that I hear him. "Rosie Harlow! Where are you!"

Amon takes my hand, pulling me deeper into the tent grounds, and we run all the way over to the tea-party tent. When we stop, we're out of breath. "Hide in here until Revival's over," he says. "I'll handle Jim Bob." Then Amon leans in and growls, "I'm gonna spank you like a master, fondle you like a toy, and take you from behind tonight, Rosie Harlow. So you get ready for it."

Then he spins me around, slaps my ass, and gives it a teasing pinch before turning his back and walking back to security.

I swear I can hear him cackling until he disappears around the funnel cake tent.

There is no tea party before the Revival, but it's the general meetin' place for us tea-party gals if we get here early enough. So when I turn and walk in I see MacyLynn and MaisieLee Roberts doin' their best to hold back their smirks. Behind them Lettie Gainer is waggling a finger at me. The twins are my age, but Lettie is a good ten years older than us and she's the big boss of the tea party tent.

I put a hand up. "I don't wanna hear it. I really don't wanna hear it."

"Oh, come on, Rosie!" MaisieLee hooks her arm in mine and leads me over to a table. "‘Fucks like a villain!' You can't tease a whole town with a detail like that without spilling some tea!"

"That's enough!" Lettie kinda roars this. "There will be no discussion of Ms ."—she practically buzzes my title out, emphasizing that ‘z' sound for many seconds longer than she should—"Harlow's private life in the tea party tent!" Lettie narrows her gaze on me. "You should be ashamed of yourself, printing those words and smearing the good name of the Revival News like that."

"Obviously, it was an accident, Lettie. For fuck's sake. Why the hell would I incite Jim Bob's temper on purpose? I made two editions this week, one for Amon's private eyes only and one for public consumption. They just got mixed up, is all. I was…" I blow out a breath. "Distracted."

MaisieLee points at me, her eyes dancing with wild abandon. "You fucked him in the print shop, didn't you?"

Lettie is just about to blow her top when the call to Revival sounds and the twins laugh as they pull me up from my chair and drag me towards the tent, far, far away from Lettie Gainer's wrath.

The Revival is a mess of whispers about my private life, but I think the tourists kind of enjoy the drama. Jim Bob makes my great-aunt Ester stand at the entrance of the tent with her hand out, trying to collect the papers, promising free tea cakes if they hand them over.

Almost no one does, so after a couple of minutes she gives up and Jim Bob calms down, and Pastor Simon pushes his glasses up his nose, and the Revival begins.

But I'm surrounded by Disciple girls and they do nothing but jab me for details the whole service. I even miss my faintin' cue, I'm so distracted.

My afternoon at the tea party tent goes much the same, but again, the guests eat it up. It's really only Lettie who's put out. So far I have avoided Jim Bob, but I'll have to pay the piper eventually, that's for sure.

Still, it is kinda fun. Especially since Cross isn't here to see any of it. And I'm glad that my relationship with Amon is so public now.

At four o'clock, Amon appears at the tea party tent, whisperin' something into Lettie's ear. She scowls at him, then me, but then just shrugs.

Amon comes over my way. "Let's go. We're outta here."

"What do you mean? We've got one more party before quittin' time."

"No, we don't." Amon's eyes are filled with mischief. "We've got a date."